Study Finds SSRIs Late In Pregnancy May Increase Risk of PPHN

NursingTimes.net reports that women treated for depression later in pregnancies with antidepressant drugs could raise the risk of birthing a child that experiences high blood pressure in its lungs and breathing difficulties.

Researchers reportedly said that there may be a risk for newborn babies of expectant mothers given selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) developing pulmonary hypertension (PPHN).

A study reviewing 3,077 reported PPHN events, which the British Medical Journal (BMJ) published, found that SSRI use late in pregnancy raised the risk for PPHN.

“[Researchers] say there is risk of PPHN in about one in 500 births, estimating that between 286 and 351 women would need to be treated with an SSRI during late pregnancy for one extra case to arise,” NursingTimes.net reported.

Notable SSRIs include Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Lexapro, Luvox and Celexa. Aside from PPHN, these drugs have also been linked to other birth defects including:

• Cleft lip and palate
• Septal heart defects
• Neural tube defects in the brain and spinal cord
• Craniosynostosis
• Limb defects
• Omphalocele
• Clubfoot
• Anal atresia

For more information about the association between SSRI antidepressants and birth defects, talk with our SSRI lawyers by calling (888)841-9623 for a free initial review of your case.

Zoll, Kranz & Borgess, LLC – SSRI attorneys

ZKB’s ‘Did You Know?’: A 2010 CNN article reported that eleven percent of Americans over the age of 12 take antidepressants.